January 16, 2025

Mizzou Engineering graduates Ashley Kemm, Madi Robinson and Rick Schroeder earned the Jack Wehman Design Award in the 2024 AIChE Student Design Competition for their innovative project titled “Power-to-Gas Plant.” The project was completed as part of the chemical engineering senior capstone course, which uses the AIChE competition problem as the major design project.

This award is a significant achievement within the Process Safety Division, recognizing their outstanding design of a sustainable energy system.

Their project aimed to create a facility next to the CEMEX cement plant in Apple Valley, California. The idea was to use waste carbon dioxide (CO2) from the cement plant and excess electricity from the Alta Wind Energy Center to produce methane—a type of natural gas. This process not only recycles CO2 but also helps store extra wind energy, making it available for use even when the wind isn’t blowing.

Their design included several complex components such as compressors and reactors, all aimed at efficiently converting CO2 into methane.

“This project exemplifies the innovative spirit and technical prowess of our students,” Scott Christensen, Director of Undergraduate Studies of Chemical Engineering, said. “They tackled real-world challenges with a solution that could significantly impact our energy systems, demonstrating both creativity and critical thinking.”

This project highlights the challenges and potential of developing new technologies for storing renewable energy. It serves as a foundation for future research and possible improvements to make such technologies more economically viable.

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